House Concerts
House Concerts
True listening rooms are the ideal for any singer-songwriter and the best type of listening rooms are house concerts. Your home could serve as an intimate venue that offers a unique and engaging experience for you and your friends. Best of all – it doesn’t have to be a lot of work!
What is a house concert?
A house concert is literally a concert in your living room, backyard or anywhere in between. These sit-down concerts usually include a group of your friends, a place for people to sit, some food, and conversation! It’s a cozy format where the audience and artist get to experience an intimate concert in a ‘listening room’ setting that is comfortable for all.
What if I don’t have a big house?
You don’t need one. If your house is big enough to host a potluck or movie night for 15-20 friends, you can host a house concert. You may be surprised how many people fit in a small living room, basement, or backyard. The important part is making sure that everyone can see and is comfortable.
How much does a house concert cost?
The host usually asks their guests to come expecting to give a suggested donation (typically $10-15 per person). The most common way to collect these donations is a basket and note by the door. The host often “interrupts” the performance near the end of the evening, and intentionally invite guests to contribute as the basket is passed around the room.
What if I don’t want strangers coming to my house?
No problem! This is totally understandable and a common concern for homeowners. Some folks are interested in hosting a concert but don’t want it to be listed as a public event. As the host, you’ll will need to be sure the Facebook invite is set to private and you limit any other invites to within your network (I can help with this if needed). As the artist, I will list the date as “Private House Show” on my tour schedule. If a fan asks about attending, I will ask you first before passing your address on to them. It’s your house and I want to make this work for you!
What’s a typical house concert schedule look like?
I typically arrive 45 minutes before your guests so I can set up my sound equipment and merchandise. Guests are asked to arrive 30 minute before the music starts, so that everyone can say hello and get settled.
To kick things off, the host will usually give a short welcome and introduce the artist. I will then play a 1-1.5 hour set depending on your preference.
After the performance, I plan for another half hour or so for people to chat, purchase CDs, and learn about other ways to support my music. Once guests start to leave, I will pack up my gear and skedaddle!
Sounds great! What can we do to make this happen?
If you are interested in hosting a house concert send me an email at info@mattlitzingermusic.com. We can discuss a date for the concert and answer any other questions you might have. Once a date is confirmed, we can chat more about the details. Let’s do this!
